Electrical switch



I March 28, 1950 o. H. HASSELBAUM ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed July 14, 1945 I N V EN TOR. Osmfimeflauw BY gum 94% Patented Mar. 28, 1950 ELECTRICAL SWITCH Oscar H. Hasselbaum, Dorchester, Mass., assignor to Joseph Pollak Corp., Dorchester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 14, 1945, Serial No. 605,086

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a multiple electric switch in which a group of push buttons may be operated individually, each reacting with others whereby when one is thrown in circuit, the others are thrown out of circuit or simultaneously all of the switches are restored to inoperative positions by the action of a single button.

The invention in the present case accomplishes these operations in a simple manner with simply constructed elements which, for the most part, may be stamped or pressed without the necessity of any machining and with inexpensive assembly of the units.

The invention will be more fully described and the advantages thereof better understood from the description in the specification below in which:

Figure 1 shows the electric switch looking at the face thereof.

Figure 2 shows a view of the switch looking at the rear of the same.

Figure 3 shows the switch in elevationas referred to the position of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows an elevation as viewed from the reverse side of Figure 3 and Figure 6 shows a section taken on the line 66 of Figure 4.

In the arrangement indicated in the drawings the outer containing case has been removed and the inside assembly is shown.

I shows a face plate with two rearwardly extending side supporting plates 2 and 3 which are provided with ears at the rear corner edges as, for instance, 4, 5, 6 and l which are turned over the back supporting plate 8 of insulating material on which the terminal members 9, l0 and H as well as the pairs of switch contact prongs I2 and l3, l4 and l5, l6 and H, a pair each being riveted with the terminal members to the insulating plate 8. These pairs of terminal contact prongs project inwardly through the rear insulating plate 8 in the direction of the push buttons and the operating blades l8, l9 and 20 with which they are aligned, the blades I8, [9 and 20 being positioned to be moved longitudinally between the elements of each pair of switch contacts and make electrical connections between the pairs by means of the contacting eyelets 2|, 22 and 23 when the push buttons 24, 25 and 26 are pushed upward in the position indicated in Figure 3. The push buttons 24, 25 and 26 each carry a blade l8, l3 and 20 respectively. The push buttons are shown as rectangular in shape and are provided with flange collars 21, 28 and 29 by means of which the motion of the push buttons is limited and they are retained in the plate I in the perforations 30, 3| and 32.

As has been stated, the back plate 8 is of insulating material as, for instance, Bakelite or hard rubber, and carries the stationary contact prongs l2, l4, l6 and l3, l5 and I1. Prongs l3, l5 and I! may all be formed integrally with the connecting bus bar 33 which is also of electrically conductive material, the bar 33 being connected with a terminal element 34 to which the ground lead in the system may be attached, if desired. The other group of contact arms l2, l4 and I6 are individually connected, as stated above, with terminal members 9, l0 and l I. An extra terminal contact 35 may be provided for one of the terminals, as indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

As indicated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, a supporting plate or bracket 36 is formed at its ends with angle elements 31 and 38 by means of which the bracket is attached to the side plates 2 and 3 respectively. This bracket carries on one side two pivoted bell crank levers 39 and 40 which are pivoted to the plate for turning in a plane parallel to it by means of the pivots 4| and 42. The ends of the lever 39 touch the rear faces of the flanges 21 and 28 of the push buttons 24 and 25 while the ends of the lever 40 touch the rear faces of the flanges of the push buttons 25 and 26 so that when the push button 25 is pushed inward or upward, as shown in Figure 3, the push buttons 24 and 26 will be pushed outward or downward, as shown in Figure 3.

On the other face of the bracket 36 in a projected or offset section, that is, the rear face as viewed in Figure 3, there is similarly pivoted a bell crank lever 43 longer than the levers previously mentioned, the pivot support 44 being halfway between the position of the push buttons 24 and 26. The ends of this bell crank lever touch the rear surface of the flanges of the push buttons 24 and 26 so that with the operation of either push button 24 or 26 in one direction, the other one will move in the other direction. It will be noted, therefore, that the combination of these levers in operation produces the effect that when one push button is pushed inward, the other two push buttons are pushed outward or reset to inoperative position and therefore when one set of contacts is made, the other pair of contacts previously connected is broken.

In the face plate I there is also provided a fourth button 45 (Figures 1 and 4). This push button is also set in an opening in the plate I and provided with a back flange 46 to retain the button within the face plate. Connecting and attached at the rear face of the flange is a projecting rod 41 which is free to move in a hole 41' located in the insulating plate 8. This rod is surrounded by a helical spring 48, one end of which bears against the inner face of the insulating plate 8 and the other end of which bears against one side of a pivoted plate or lever 49 which is journalled by means of the shaft 50 in the side plates 2 and 3 at 51 and 52 respectively.

The plate or lever 49 bears at one edge on one side of the pivot against the rear face of the flange 45 of the button 45 while on the other side of the plate there are provided three extending prongs 53, 54 and 55 which are positioned directly over the flanges 21, 28 and 29 of the push buttons 24, 25 and 26. When the operator pushes the button 45 inward or upward, as viewed in Figure 4, all of these prongs bear against the rear flange faces of the push buttons 24, 25 and 26 and break the electrical connection between each of the pairs of contacts l2 andl3,l4andl5,l6andl'l.

In the operation of the switch, therefore, the operator will be assured that only one pair of contacts will be connected at a time and that the switch will be entirely restored to inoperative position with the pr ssing of the restoring button 45. The switch is conveniently adaptable for many purposes as, for instance, an automotive dash board switch or for an aircraft switch. It may be easily mounted in the instrument panel and is also easily removable and replaceable.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

An electric switch of the type described comprising a face plate having perforations to receive a plurality of switch buttons, each carrying rearwardly extending contact jack members, a plurality of spring blade switch members positioned in alignment to hold and permit reciprocal movement of said contact jack members by longitudinal motion of the latter, said contact jack members having each an insulated end section adapted to engage normally between a pair of associated spring blades a plurality of levers having pivoting axes at right angles to the motion of the switch push buttons and having their ends bearing against the back surface of said push buttons whereby motion of one push button operates the other simultaneously in the opposite linear direction, a restoring push button in said face plate, a lever having one end bearing against the rear of the restoring button and a plurality of other ends bearing against the rear ends of the other push buttons whereby operation of said restoring push button will restore to inoperative position all the other push buttons.

OSCAR H. HASSELBAUM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Country Date 9,764 Coy June 14, 1881 1,239,833 Singer Sept. 11, 1917 1,699,172 Welland Jan. 15, 1928 1,704,582 Stephenson Mar. 5, 1929 1,801,236 Brown Apr. 14, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS \lurnber Country Date 522,735 Great Britain June 26, 1940 

